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"id": 197696,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/197696/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. Balala",
"speaker_title": "The Member for Mvita",
"speaker": {
"id": 9,
"legal_name": "Najib Mohamed Balala",
"slug": "najib-balala"
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"content": ". I also want thank my party, the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), for giving me the privilege to be their candidate in that constituency. I have seen that politics has changed. It is not the old style of politics. It has become professional and very much issue-oriented. The way politicians and leaders present themselves in convincing their constituents to vote for them has changed. That day was the 27th of December, 2007. Unfortunately, thereafter, things went bad. We have seen when electors were robbed. Institutions like the Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK) were not proper and sincere to this nation. I think we have a tall order to rectify institutions such as the ECK to become impartial and support the true democracy. I want to mention this, particularly, because the human rights of Kenyans is to vote for their leaders. If that vote is not rightly positioned, then it would be discouraging those voters. Mr. Speaker, Sir, it is high time we reconstituted the ECK. We should disband that discredited team and establish the right institution that can balance with all politics. Mr. Speaker, Sir, violence erupted not because people wanted to fight. It erupted because people felt their hopes were shattered and the opportunity of hopelessness came out. Due to the disparities of many years, people took advantage and said they were not going to accept. But, nevertheless, I want to congratulate His Excellency the President, hon. Mwai Kibaki, and the Prime Minister-designate, hon. Raila Odinga, for rising above personal interests and declaring that it was a turning point for Kenya. It is, indeed, a turning point. I think the onus is on us as parliamentarians and leaders of this country not to let down our principal leaders. It is time we played our role and changed the Constitution of Kenya so as to bring equality and equity to all. It is important to develop a system that separates the Head of State and the Head of Government. It is important to have accountability. Accountability cannot be outside this House. It has to be inside this House. That is why the agreement somehow looked a bit like the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) of 2002. But, unfortunately, not all MoUs are implemented. Regrettably, it was not followed then and it created divisions in the last five years. But, today, we should entrench this in the Constitution. Also the issues of historical injustices caused that violence. There had been discrimination in terms of religion, tribe and political correctness like having godfathers. There was also inequality in the disbursement of resources to our regions. Sometimes I ask myself: Is North Eastern Province part of this country when there is no single kilometre of tarmac road? Is Turkana District part of 138 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES March 13, 2008 this country when it is not accessible? Are the Maasais not part of this community to be recognised and their cultures respected? All these are questions that we should start answering. Mr. Speaker, Sir, it is time we passed these Bills. In fact, earlier, I was of the opinion that we can suspend Debate on the Presidential Speech and move these Bills, pass them quickly as per the request of the President and then come back to the Presidential Speech. I am not asking that we terminate Debate on the Presidential Speech or shorten its period. There are many young and fresh leaders who have come here. This is their opportunity to make their maiden speeches and comment on the Presidential Speech. Nevertheless, the Accord and amendment of the Constitution are paramount. We need to give it time. I am glad that next Tuesday is when we will discuss this. Mr. Speaker, Sir, any one of us who would cause obstruction to the passage of these Bills would be the enemy of the State. If we want peace, let us pass these Bills. If we want violence, then we would object to these Bills. I want to say that these Bills touch on the sharing of power---"
}